Rotary engine



R. KNOPP I ROTARY ENG Feb. 12, I929 INE Filed Oct. 26. '1926 Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,701,534 PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH KNOPP, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed October 26, 1926. Serial No. 144,360.

This invention relates to rotary engines which may be operated either as an internal combustion engine or as a steam engine and its object is to simplify the mechanism of such an engine and increase the efliciency thereof.

This and other objects of this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawing, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross section of the rotary engine.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross section of the rotary engine. 4

Figure 3 is another longitudinal cross section of the rotary engine showing the posit on of the pistons just before a gas charge is 1gnited between them.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross section of the rotary engine as it is constructed for use with steam.

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The rotary engine forming the subject matter of my present invention comprises a circular housing made in two half sections or shells 1 and 2 that are suitably bolted together near the periphery thereof. On the inside of this housing are mounted the lnternal ring gears 3 and 4 each of which carries a series of four blades or pistons 5 5 5, 5, and 6*,6, 6, and 6 respectively. The pistons are disc shaped and project into the annular channel 7 formed on the inside of the housing.

The outline of each of the internal ring gears 3 and 4 is practically square with rounded corners connecting the practically straight sides of each gear. Two pairs of eccentric gears 8, 8 and 9, 9 respectively mesh with the ring gears 3 and 4t and are mounted to rotate on the studs 10, 10 and 11, 11 located within the casing and anchored or threaded into each section thereof. Centrally of each section of the housing are provided the bearings 12 and 13 in which the fly wheel shaft 14 is mounted to rotate. To this shaft is keyed the fly wheel 15 on the outside of the housing. On the inside of the housing the flywheel shaft 14 has the elliptical gear 16 keyed thereto. This gear has a'wide face and its teeth are adapted to simultaneously mesh with all of the eccentric gears 8, 8 and 9, 9 respectively.

In the side of the housing are provided the intakeopenin s 20, 20 and the exhaust openings 21, 21. n intake opening 20 is grouped with an exhaust opening 21 on each side of the housing and is. located diametrically opposite, to its corresponding opening on the other side of the housing.

In addition to the intake and exhaust openings two more openings are provided one at the top and the other at the bottom of the housing and in each of these openings are mounted the spark plugs 22 and 23. In the operation of the rotary engine the internal gears whichcarry the blades or pistons are driven intermittently by the explosion of the gases compressed between them but this intermittent movement of each of the internal gears produces a continuous movement of the elliptical gear so that the fly wheel shaft and flywheel will run at an even and continuous speed. A suitable ignition system is used in connection with the rotary engine so that the sparks from the spark plug are timed to occur at the right moment to fire the charge between two of the blades or pistons. A water jacket or cooling fins may be provided on the outside of the housing of the engine for the purpose of cooling the engine during its operation.

The rotary engine operates. on a four cycle principle. When the pistons are placed into the position illustrated in Figure 3 the charge of combustible gas previously admitted and compressed between the blades 6? and 5 and also between the blades 6 and 5 is ignited. The expansion of the burning gases then force the blades 5 and 5 away from the blades 6 and 6 in the direction of the arrow and in doing so blade 6 will move in place of 5 while 5 will move into the place of 6". The other blades change their positions correspondingly. This movement of the blades is produced by the ring gears 3 and 4 mesh ing with the eccentric pinions 8, 8 and 9, 9. As one pair of pinions roll over the practically straight section of their ring gear, the ring gear" travels at a slow rate of speed while the other pair of pinions rolling in the corner of their ring gear from one straight section to the other allows the ring gear to move at greater speed. In this way the pistons or blades of each ring gear alternately move fast and slow in the same direction bringing the pistons or blades of the two ring gears first close together and then far apart to alternately compress the gases between them and then allow them to expand again.

The intake and egrhaust openings 20 and 21 respectively are located so that they are alternately covered and uncovered by the blades or uncover the openings over which they were located and allow a new charge of gas to be taken thru the intake openings 20, while the burned gases are allowed to escape thru the exhaust openings 21, 21.

The new charge of gas is compressed between the piston that moves past the intake opening after the gas has been admitted therethru. As above pointed out the eccentric pinions which drive the internal ring gear that carry this piston are located so as to drive the piston at the increased speed while the eccentric pinions which drive the internal ring gear that carry the piston ahead of it drive this piston at the reduced speed so that by the time both of these pistons have moved to a position where the spark plug is located intermediate between them, the space be tween the pistons has been reduced and the gases previously admitted between them thru the intake opening has been compressed between the pistons and are ready to be ignited by the spark plug to have the expanding gases force the first piston ahead at an increased speed with the second piston following it at a reduced speed.

This cycle of operation repeats itself whenever two pistons that follow each other, the one carried by one of the ring gears and the other carried by the other ring gear, pass the intake and exhaust openings that are grouped together on each side of the engine housing. The movements of the ring gears which are intermittently fast and slow are transmitted to the elliptical gear by the eccentric pinions but owing to their outline drive this ear at a uniform rate of speed so that the y wheel shaft and the fly wheel are driven at a uniform speed.

Each piston makes eight alternate fast and slow movements in making one complete revolution and during this time sixteen explosions take place between the pistons of one internal gear and the pistons of the other internal gear. The ratio of the gearing between the internal gear and the drive shaft is such that the elliptical gear and the drive shaft to which it is keyed will make two revolutions. and the eccentric pinions four revolutions for each revolution of a piston while the pistons travel in the same direction with an alternately rapid and slow movement.

When the rotary engine is to be driven by steam the intake and exhaust ports are arranged as illustrated in Figure 4 in which two more intake and exhaust ports are added to the housing to admit and exhaust the steam. Y

It will be understood that as shown in the drawings any two pistons are at one end of the stroke. so to speak 15 degrees apart and at the other end of the stroke are degrees apart and in making a half revolution the discs on which they are carried shift on each other 60 degrees while rotating together but at different speeds. The first disc or ring shifts forward 60 degrees on the second disc as the explosion occurs. Thereafter the second disc shifts forward 60 degrees on the first disc as the exploded gases are driven out. This occurs during one quarter of a revolution of the discs. Thereafter the first disc shifts forward on the second disc as a new charge is drawn in. Thereafter the second disc shifts forward 60 degrees on the first disc as the charge is compressed and made ready for the explosion. This occurs during the second quarter of the revolution of the discs and the complete cycle occurs during a half revolution of the discs. Two spark plugs are shown which would with the combination shown cause 8 explosions to occur in one complete rotation of the discs.

1 claim:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a circular housing, a pair of substantially square ring gears mounted to rotate side by side in said housing, eccentric pinions mounted to rotate within said housing and meshing with said ring gears, an elliptical gear mounted to rotate centrally of said housin said eccentric pinions being adapted to mesh with said elliptical gear, pistons projecting from said ring gears, said ring gears being mounted with relation to each other so as to alternately move its pistons fast or slow but drive said elliptical gear thru said eccentric pinions at a uniform rate of speed.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a circular housing, a pair of substantially square ring gears mounted to rotate side by side in said housing, eccentric pinions mounted to rotate within said housing and meshing with said ring gears, an elliptical gear mounted to rotate centrally of said housin said eccentric pinions being adapted to mes *with said elliptical gear, pistons projecting from said ring gears, said ring gears being mounted with relation to each other so as, to alternately move its pistons fast or slow but drive said elliptical gear thru said eccentric pinions at a uniform rate of speed, said housing having intake and exhaust ports to, allow gas to enter between two successive pistons each carried by one of said ring gears, be compressed between them and ignited and then allowed to exhaust thru the exhaust port after the pistons have moved apart.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RUDOLPH KNOPP. 

